To our Allies:
•That it is about love and not about sex.
•All humans are sexual. Some of us are homosexual.
•We come in all shapes, sizes, colors. ages and from all economic and cultural backgrounds, and live all over the world.
•We have a long and interesting history and rich and valued culture.
•We each have a unique and wonderful gift to give the world.
•We are different from you, but our differences are not bad.
•We are very much like you, much more than you assume.
•We love each other well.
•We take pride in loving each other well.
•We know a lot about getting close to people and we can share this.
•We have experiences and expertise in going beyond traditional gender roles and we will share that too.
•We have long-lasting, permanent relationships, or we are celibate, or have no relationships, and all possibilities in between.
•We are parents.
•We can love unconditionally; we know what hurt feels like; we know how to go beyond bigotry.
•We are numb sometimes due to the internalized oppression
•We are better and more than our sexual body parts (which are wonderful, like the rest of our bodies).
•AIDS is not a Gay disease. Not all Gay men have AIDS.
•Because there is fallout to heterosexual people from homophobia and Gay oppression, you have a lot to gain by eliminating homophobia.
•We never again want religious ideology used as an excuse to oppress us (don't speak for God).
•We never again want to experience incidents of violence or abusive attacks on Gays, Lesbians, and bisexuals.
•We never again want a person with AIDS denied resources because he or she is Gay.
What our allies can do for us:
•Love us, support us, stop any attacks or trivializing of our humanity.
•Counsel on and discharge all homophobia because it is to your benefit as well as ours. (We'd like you to have fun helping us put an end to Gay, Lesbian, and bisexual oppression.) Support and work for full human rights for all Lesbians, Gay men, and bisexuals, including the passage of anti-discrimination laws covering housing, employment, insurance, ect. We want legally sanctioned same-sex marriage with all the tax, insurance, probate, and immigration rights that that indicates. We also want immigration laws that allow immigration and freedom of travel for Lesbians, Gay men, bisexuals, and persons with AIDS.
•Don't be afraid to get close to each other.
•Don't be afraid to get close to us.
•Accept my loving of you as having no strings attached.
•Interrupt any fear I might have of loving you.
•Think about how to validate Lesbian and Gay relationships. Send us anniversary cards, encourage us to dance (slow as well as fast) with each other in non-Gay or non-Lesbian settings, ask us how our relationships are going, ask about our loves (they are our spouses).
•Honor our expressions of affection. We like to hold hands too.
•We want to be understood and encourage you to take advantage of the many books, movies and literature available about us.
•Discharge any embarrassment and fear you have about asking us about our lives.
•Be happy and delighted when I "come out."
•Rejoice about our presence in the world and in your lives.
•Don't make assumptions about who we are, and what we do in bed, or if we are doing anything in bed.
•Interrupt people who link sexual distress only with homosexuality.
•Talk to young people to acknowledge that they are Gay or Lesbian.
•Interrupt our internalized oppression.
•Play with us. We're warm, loving and good people, just like you.